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Tag: tools to stay organized

In the IB Diploma program,
I am taking Psychology at the HL level. This course fully revolves around
real-life events, and there is a focus on biological, cognitive, and
sociocultural levels of analysis. In addition to learning about these aspects,
we need to know and understand many studies - which could be experiments,
observations, correlations, and etc. These complex studies are used for short
answer questions (SAQ) and Essays. Although a SAQ requires one study and an
essay requires three (most of the time), students need to know much more to be
fully prepared for an exam. From my experience, here are some of the things
that I think are helpful.

Understanding will help you memorize: This course requires a high degree of knowledge on the material taught. In order to know such a multitude of background information and those "studies," I have to start studying one to two weeks ahead of time. In this way, I would retain (and understand) the information for a much longer time and I would be more confident about it. This is also a way for me to have questions in mind to ask the teacher. Usually, cramming might help you for a one-day exam, but it won't help in the long-run.

Outlines: For the SAQ's AND Essays, writing an outline for each prompt (or most of them) is highly recommended. In this way, the format is easier to remember, especially since the organization is a big part of the writing requirement.

Making Connections: Try to connect levels of analysis to your daily life. Psychology is all around us, and comparing what you learn to your personal experiences will help you understand the material even better.

Talking to the Teacher: Asking questions to the teacher and reviewing over certain sections can be very helpful. Ms. Isley is very kind and is always happy to help:)

Review: It is important to know that the IB Exam in May of your senior year is a cumulative exam. I would recommend reviewing previous material from time to time, especially since lots of material can be forgotten with the breaks.

If
you have ever heard of APUSH (AP US History), you probably heard that it is one
of the toughest classes at Windermere Prep. Compared to other schools, WPS offers
this course at 9th grade, while other schools offer it at 11th and 12th. I am
just going to flat out say that if you aren't willing to work hard and put in
the time, then this class is definitely not for you, as the work never stops.
Now as a former survivor of APUSH, I know a few things about how this class
works, and what it takes to succeed.

Outlines

The
first part of this course is outlines. Every night, you basically summarize a
part of a textbook chapter in a specific format, which Mr. Zoslow then checks
the next day. Every outline is a total of 3 points, so as long as you complete
it, you should get full credit. Of course it depends on how many pages your
reading is for that night, but my outlines were around 10 pages, give or take a
few pages. You might be stressing out during your first outline, and it might
take you a long time, but just know that they get easier as you continue on
throughout the year. My advice to you is to use every minute of the day for
outlines. Even 5 minutes at the end of another class can get you a few
paragraphs outlined. Don't worry about making everything perfect, because
honestly Mr. Zoslow just scrolls through it, and doesn't actually read
everything word for word.

KBATS

KBATS
are just a bunch of vocab words that you think are necessary to study for the
unit exam. The catch is that Mr. Zoslow doesn't give you a vocab list, but you
have to come up with the words yourself and then write definitions for them. My
suggestion is to either underline or highlight your KBATS while you are
outlining so you can go back and know which words you thought were important.
Some won't agree with me, but I found it easy to complete my KBATS while I was
outlining so that way I didn't have to worry about them later. You will just have
to determine what works best for you. Make sure you are only doing definitions
for words that are necessary, or you will end up with a couple hundred words
for each chapter. Lastly, DO NOT procrastinate these. I guarantee the last
thing you want is to have to complete a couple hundred vocab words in one
night.

EDQs

EDQs
(essential daily questions) are a necessity in this class if you want to
succeed. You get a specific question based off of your reading from the night
before, and you have to answer it in the form of an essay. When you come to
class the next day, there are usually 3-4 readers depending on time, and you
get 10 points for reading your EDQ, even if it is completely wrong. It
definitely takes a lot of courage to read in front of your classmates, but just
know that your classmates really don't listen to the EDQs. Even though you may
think that Mr. Zoslow isn't paying attention, he definitely is, so don't try to
slide in some wrong information or information from a different topic. There are
three main components that you have to include by the end of the year; thesis,
contextualization, and synthesis. You will gradually need to do all three, but
the first quarter is just composing a thesis. After you read your EDQ, Mr.
Zoslow will ask you to repeat your thesis. Don't worry about not knowing how to
write one in the beginning, but just make sure you know what you are talking
about. Don't try to make up information that isn't true or accurate, because
Mr. Zoslow will ask you about it. You want to make sure that you get your
readings done as soon as possible. When you get to the end of the quarter,
everyone is in the same boat as you, and then there are too many people and too
few days for everyone to read and get their points. At the end of the year for
me, there was a huge waiting list everyday for reading your EDQs, and some
people emailed 2-3 weeks in advance for a spot to read. You want to complete
them every night and not procrastinate doing them, because you will eventually
have to turn in an EDQ packet at the end with all of your essays. It is
definitely harder to write an essay and remember the information from a month
ago, rather than just writing it the night you learned the material.

Unit Exams

I'm
not gonna lie; the unit exams you will take for APUSH will SEEM very
impossible, but they aren't. After your first few tests, you learn what Mr.
Zoslow is looking for, and what it takes to get a good grade. When studying for
these exams, don't focus too much about the minor details, but make sure you
know the overall picture. You have the whole class period to complete the test,
so right when you walk in the door, make sure you already have your pens and
highlighters in hand. Trust me: every minute counts. There are 55 multiple
choice questions, and there is no possible way that you could get all of them
right. I would recommend to spend about 10 minutes on the multiple choice
because the essay is where you get the most points. When you get to the essay,
make sure you do a little 2-3 min outline of what you are going to write,
because that alone can get you 5 points. You get a point for everything you get
right, but a point off for something wrong, or even more points if it is a
really dumb answer, so just right everything that you know. However, if you are
unsure of a date or a specific detail, don't write it, because you may get a
point taken off for it. Make sure you frame the narrative, and for every person
that you introduce, make sure that you describe him/her and not just simply
write their name. If you are given documents, you MUST use all documents or
else you will get points taken off. Keep reminding yourself that you are in
APUSH, so make sure you don't find yourself focusing too much on other
countries. Lastly, sleep is the most important thing. If you don't get enough
sleep, your brain can't properly function, and you won't be able to remember
any of the information.

Grading the Unit Exams

All
of the APUSH tests are curved, which means that points are added on to your raw
score. Your raw score is the actual grade that Mr. Zoslow got from your exam,
but the curve is made based on how everyone else does. If everyone did really
good on the test, then the curve is going to be lower, but if everyone did bad,
the curve might be higher. There is what is called a floor, which is the lowest
possible score someone could get. If you get lower than the floor, then the
floor score is the one that shows up in the gradebook. For example, if someone
got a raw score of 20, the curve was 40, and the floor was a 65, then they
would get a 65 in their grade book. If someone got a raw score of 80, and the
curve was 40, then they would get a 99 because that is the highest grade you
could get. Just know that your first probably won't be the score that you
wanted, but it will get better from there.

Study tips

Use
your friends for resources, because they are going through the same struggles
that you are. Collaboration is key in this class, because there is so much
information that you can't possibly remember all of it. Use your prep book, and
watched jocz production videos. Before tests, look up practice essay questions
and write out a brief outline just to practice to ensure you know the
information. Take notes during class so that you make sure you are paying
attention and can later use them for a review resource.

The AP Exam

At
the end of the year, you will take the nationwide APUSH exam. It includes a
DBQ, a long essay, multiple choice, and short answer questions. Your grade is
given on a scale from 1-5, but don't expect that you are going to get a 5.
Remember that you are going against juniors and seniors, and a 5 is really hard
to get. I would definitely study a lot for this exam because you want to get at
least the passing grade of a 3. Also, at the end of the year there is a US
history subject test that is required for some colleges, so I would recommend
taking it so that way you don't have to worry about it when you are a junior or
senior.

One
thing to know about this class is that it never stops, not even during breaks
or on weekends. Even when you finish an outline, you always have one for the
next day or another assignment you should be doing to get ahead. Despite all of
the work that you have to do, it is really hard to do badly in this class, as
long as you complete all of the necessary work. Even if you get the floor on
every test but complete all of your EDQs, KBATS, and outlines, then you might
end up with a B. This class is very independent, and it teaches you how you best
learn and how to manage your time better. One thing to steer away from is
comparing yourself to other people. Don't panic if someone already had their
outline done for tomorrow when you haven't even started. Everybody works at
their own pace and in their own way. By the end of the year, you will be
thinking and working 10 times faster than you were in the beginning of the
year. Just know that at the end of the year, you will finally be able to say,
"I survived APUSH", and trust me, it's a great feeling.

If you've ever found yourself floundering to maintain your grades, barely
getting by the first week of school, follow these tips and strategies I have
cultivated over my past two years as a high school student at Windermere Prep.

Time management and
Organization

When school, sports, and other extracurriculars
get crazy, time management is key to maintain a good learning experience. As a
high school student, or a student of any grade, you need to recognize what
needs to be done urgently and what can wait. The best way to do this is by
finding a system of organization. Whether it be a planner, Google doc, or a
notebook, find a place where you can organize everything that needs to be done
into categories: mandatory work, extra work, questions you might have, due
dates, reminders, notes, etc…This will let you know exactly what you have to
do, when, and what's coming up.

Talk to your Teachers

As much as you don't want to believe
it, your teachers are here to help you! Don't hesitate to ask them for help
after school or during SRT. A key piece of information worth remembering is
that when you actively invest in your education, your teachers will notice this
and think of you more often, finding ways to help you and always keeping in mind
what you might need. They will come to you with more detailed suggestions and
resources.

Review, Review, Review!

The best way to lighten up on studying
for a final, midterm, or even a test or quiz, is to constantly review. Create a
system where you review your classes, whether it be 15 minutes daily for each
class, or a couple hours on the weekend. Doing this keeps the knowledge fresh,
which will ultimately help you study effectively for big cumulative tests or
exams. This will also keep you from cramming, giving more time to process the
information. When you do this, studying is truly just review, not relearning!

Prepare for Classes

Another great way to stay on top of
classes, especially challenging ones, is to introduce the next topic to
yourself with some light textbook (or whatever resource is best for the class)
pre-reading. This sets up the unit for you and puts you at an advantage. Don't
worry if you don't understand at first, when you begin learning with your
teacher and other students, your questions will be gone! This gives you more
time to understand and process the concept.

Make use of your
Resources

This might be obvious, but don't
overlook any resources your teachers give you! These resources are an
opportunity, use them wisely! The most accessible and best ones are those added
by your teacher on Canvas. One of the best and most useful resources I have
found is the canvas calendar. With all your future assignments and tests
listed, you can see the exact workload for the upcoming weeks and plan
accordingly. If you still find yourself struggling with the class, ask your
teacher for more practice or good websites. You can also do your own research
and find websites and books to help.

Take Good Notes and be
an Active Student

Arguably the most important of these
tips is to be an active member of your class. If you have questions, ask them!
They are most likely legitimate questions that everyone else also has. They
also might bring up a good argument or sub topic that needs to be addressed to avoid
confusion later. You might just be doing everyone a favor when you ask
questions. You should also try to make connections and share ideas to the
class, as this could facilitate a well-rounded discussion with your peers.
Lastly, take. good. notes. Find what works best for you and stick with it. This
could be hand written notes, flashcards, typed notes…anything! Good notes does
not necessarily mean copy every word down. Good notes are ones that summarize
main ideas and include key details. You might also want to analyze the
information you have and apply it in different ways to test your understanding.

Learn, do not Just
Study

Make sure your priorities and reasons
for studying are well-intentioned. Do not just study to attain the "perfect
grade". Understand the information given to you, and be able to apply it. This
is how you truly make use of what you learn in school.

Recognize the
Importance of your Education

As much as we think the things we learn
in school are useless, and while we might not remember them or use them later,
that doesn't mean we shouldn't learn them! The benefit of learning something
"useless" is not in its content, but in the skills developed and used. These
classes teach us to think critically, analyze the information, and apply it.
Attaining knowledge at our level is an opportunity, so seizeevery minuteof it, whether you think it minuscule
or not. And perhaps the most important piece of advice I can give you, do it
for yourself. Do it for your self-improvement, for your enrichment, and for
your enjoyment. Find what makes you love learning and pursue it, no matter if
it isn't the safest bet. Be a reasonable risk-taker. No matter what you pursue,
if you do it whole-heartedly, you will find your way to success. Enjoy what you
learn and do it to become the best version of you, to become a well-rounded and
worldly citizen. And remember, grades are not the final and only measurement of
intelligence. As long as you are trying, improving, and working hard, your
grades will reflect that. If they don't, there might other aspects of an
education that you are stronger in, and those are just as important!

Having effective study habits can reduce time and stress that
comes with schoolwork. Here are some way that can make your life easier:

#1- Learn
the Way You Learn

Everyone is individual with the way
that they learn. Auditory, visual, and kinesthetic are the three different ways
of learning. Knowing what type of learner you are lets you study the
information in a better way. You will find better results when you personalize
the way that you study.

#2-
Deadlines and More

After receiving an
assignment, creating a schedule including deadlines and extracurriculars will
help you prioritize tasks. With less procrastination more sleep and less stress
will come. Having everything in the same place, like planner or calendar will
make life much easier.

#3- Teachers

Learning
how to talk to your teachers can be very beneficial. Most teachers are more
than happy to provide extra help. Not only will this help you on your further
assignments and tests, it also shows that you care about your academics. Some
grades are given though work ethic so talking with your teachers can also a
major grade booster.

#4- Studying
for the Test

When studying try not to think of
everything thing that has ever been said in class, this will add even more
stress. When you start to study, focus on the most important topics. Once you
have those topics and are confident with them, if there's still time before the
test, you can then move on to the smaller details.

#5-
Distractions Vs. the Quiet

When studying it is
easy to turn on the T.V or your phone and get off topic quickly. Doing this
however breaks your concentration and makes it harder to focus. With less
distractions, more studying can be done and the amount of time it takes to
study is cut down. If there is no place that you can study quietly, consider
studying at the library. Distractions also come from getting up and getting
things that you need to continue studying. Once you sit down to study, make
sure you have everything you need.

#6-Night
Before a Test

It is tempting to
hold off studying until the night before. You might tell yourself that it is
easier to learn more closer to the test in order to remember more. Create a
schedule for a couple days before the test. Take some time review your notes
and re-read important things in the textbooks. It might seem that that is a lot
to do, but that lets the information sink into your brain in a way more natural
way. Sleep is also very, very important. If you are tempted to pull an
all-nighter you will only be hurting your chances of getting an A. With a
proper amount of sleep, your brain will be in good shape on test day.

#7- Stay
Positive!

Positive reinforcement is a very important and
powerful thing. After finishing something for school, reward yourself. Whether
that be taking a break from studying to get some food, or watching some
Netflix, rewards are important. Breaks also can help improve studying, your
brain can only take so much hard work at a time. It will keep your stress
levels down and the information will also have a chance to sink in. With this
new mindset implemented, procrastination can be cut down!

Many students dedicate a lot of their time to extracurriculars,
sports, volunteer work, jobs, etc. I myself have dedicated my entire life to
gymnastics, where I spend every afternoon of every week practicing for
just a few moments of glory every year. Spending all of this time involved in
something like this makes you realize how important time is, especially when
you're involved in the IB program. After all of these years, I have picked up a
few tips and tricks on time management and how balancing your social life,
extracurriculars, and school work can be done effectively. I've finally learned
that balancing my time would help me in the long run and would relieve a lot of
unnecessary stress as well.

Firstly, realizing where your time is going helps you understand
how you could be using your time better and create a more efficient schedule
that lets you control where your time is being spent and how it could be spent
better. Setting priorities helps you focus on activities that are most
important and allows you to categorize the most important to least important
things you need to get done. The best way to manage your time is to stay
organized. I recommend using a calendar or planner and daily to-do list, to
check off items as you complete them. I also recommend doing tough tasks first
while you're fresh and alert and breaking large projects down into smaller
chunks to complete these projects more efficiently. I know my main drawback
when it comes to time management is procrastination. I've learned that the best
ways to avoid procrastination is to set daily priorities, try focusing for
short amounts of time instead of hours at a time, and attempting difficult
tasks at your high-energy time since your concentration will be easier then.
Don't allow interruptions, like a loud room to study or your friend's bothering
you, get in your way or else juggling your work may seem much more difficult
than it actually is and you'll just become more discouraged. These few tips and
tricks may just save you from a sleepless night of studying in the future.

1. Don't
write down any reminders or set any alarms about when the assignment is due.

Does a recently received assignment
seem too difficult or tedious? Simply don't put any measure in place to remind
yourself about it. Out of sight, out of mind! This is an important first step
to procrastination, as it allows you to remove the assignment from your present
conscious and reduce the current amount of stress in your life.

2. Take
frequent and lengthy breaks from your work.

Once you've settled in to your desk or other preferred
workspace after school, feel free to play a few rounds of 2048, browse the
internet, or check social media. After all, if you never took breaks, you would
quickly become overworked and your work quality would suffer. Take breaks
whenever you don't feel motivated to work: you need them!

3. Don't set
aside time dedicated solely to working.

It would truly be a shame if your work
was regimented in constricting blocks of time. Your workflow is arrhythmic, and
trying to 'plan' motivation would make you even less motivated than you already
were. Therefore, don't make any schedules or timetables. In this way, you'll
never have to work on an assignment until you truly want too. The inspiration
will strike you when you're ready!

4. Do less
challenging assignments (and complete other obligations) first.

If you don't want to start that 4-page essay, you can easily
put it out of your mind by doing simpler work first. Complete small assignments
and do chores so that you aren't forced to cope with the difficulty of writing
the essay, At least you're doing something productive, right? The essay can
wait until tomorrow while you do this work.

5. Fulfill
every requirement for you to work optimally.

If you find that the assignment you're working on is becoming
dull and your quality of work is suffering, it's most likely because something
is preventing you from working well. Perhaps it's because your room is unclean—the
aura simply isn't right. To put yourself back in the right frame of mind, clean
your room for now and work on the assignment later. While you're up from your
desk, be sure to make your bed, eat a snack, watch some TV, and play a few
games of table tennis. Once you've gotten all of that out of your system,
you'll certainly be able to work much more efficiently on your assignment.

6. The
assignment is due 8:00AM tomorrow and it's 10:00PM? Take an all-nighter.

Plenty of people, from mathematicians to musicians, write
out their most influential proof or greatest opus in one long, uninterrupted,
feverish session. What separates you from them? You need to get this assignment
done somehow, even if it costs a few hours of sleep. Why not work through the
night and ensure the assignment gets done.

(Bonus!) 7.
Turn in the assignment late—or don't turn it in at all!

If you're truly opposed to doing this
assignment, you don't have to finish it before the deadline—or at all! For the
former, it's easy to postpone working on an assignment if a teacher only takes
off 2% for each day late, or better yet, doesn't deduct points at all if you
turn it in shortly after the deadline. For the latter, there's no easier way to
procrastinate an assignment than if you never actually do it. So omit summative
work that's difficult yet takes up a small percentage of your grade, and omit
formative work entirely.

Conclusion:

As you may have guessed while reading through the above
list, I don't actually advocate that anyone procrastinate. Procrastinating is
an unhealthy and unsatisfactory habit, but it's one that is remarkably easy to
slip into. Because of this, everyone procrastinates to some extent. In fact, I
procrastinated writing this very blog post. Since many people procrastinate,
it's important to note some of the factors and justifications that contribute
to procrastination. As such, the "How to Procrastinate" list is an exercise in
looking at some negative actions we take so that we may see what not to do.
Instead of tackling the difficult assignment, which requires effort and focus, many
of us would rather resort to doing something from the list. However, it's
critical that you recognize the true stress that procrastinating generates, and
avoid the items on this list as you see fit. I find that in general, it's
beneficial to take the opposite actions of those on this list, and the quality
of your work will increase while the amount of work-related stress will
decrease. Take all of this with a grain of salt though, as something that works
for me may not work you, and vice versa. But no matter how you conquer
procrastination, doing so is certainly advantageous

What are
some tips you have for students that are on the fence about doing IB diploma
due to Theory of Knowledge (TOK)?

There should no reason for students to be on the fence because
half the week is a study hall and you will still have opportunities to get work
done for your other classes and also the course is not hard. There is a a lot
of reasons why one should be on the fence about doing diploma and taking TOK
should not be one of them. It is also fun to be in the class, the good thing is
that instructors can do whatever they want with the material of the class. So I
try to choose fun activities and I think that the topics in the class are very
interesting.

Could you
give a brief summary of the TOK course?

TOK is about growing as a knower and putting together pieces of
what you learn in your other IB classes. It is also about synthesizing
knowledge.

And for
students that are taking TOK, what are some tips for succeeding
in the course?

To have an open mind and to be inquisitive.

Also what
do you think would be better taking the online course or the actual class? And
why?

I think the actual class is better because a big part of the
course is discussions. And the online course lacks that. There is a lot of
things you could do with the online course and you could still have discussions
but the responses online would not be as thoughtful or as instantaneous as our
live in class discussions.

Time management is a key skill in high school, but also in
your life afterwards. Having time management allows for you to be less stressed
because you have spaced out your work and also allows for you to revise your
work to make it better. Playing a sport forces you to have good time management
skills. Being a student athlete takes a lot of prioritizing, responsibility,
and motivation to be successful in the classroom. Having good time management
skills makes you create a balance of work time and down time. People with these
skills know how to organize their lives so they accomplish everything they have
planned for that day whether it's in school, in your sport, or with your
friends.

Already one quarter of the school year has
passed, and we are getting ready for the next, with the midterm exams coming up
along with Homecoming, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Each new quarter is a fresh
new start- a chance to get higher grades, try new activities, and put in as
much effort as you can! With this new page, it seems like you do not need
to do anything to prepare. However, there are a couple of things you can do to
give yourself a leg up to prepare for the exams and the lessons ahead.

1.
Evaluate the last quarter.

How much effort did you put into the last
quarter? Did you do all formative work, and all of the summative work? Did you
study? These are questions that you can be asking yourself. If you find
something that you could do better, like trading an hour of video games for
studying, or getting to school on time, or even just getting eight hours of
sleep, you can create easy ways to achieve this to make this an easier and
better term for you.

2.
Write down what you have learned.

Although it was just the beginning, there was a
lot of subject material that you have learned. It may not seem important, but
these topics will be on the midterm exams, though you learn them so long ago.
This leaves many people reviewing in the last week and forgetting what to
study. A way to resolve this would be writing down key themes from each of your
subjects. This would be the most important things to know, and it doesn't have
to be very detailed, just a sentence or two to help you remember. For example,
in US history I would write "The Colonies" and "The Great
Depression", and important figures during that time.

3.
Look at the Syllabus!

What better way to prepare for the new quarter
by seeing what you are going to learn? If you know the subject material, not
only will you not be lost in class, but you will know what is coming up. This
means you can also prepare beforehand, by reading or researching the main
themes and facts.

4.
Talk to your teachers

There may be things you are doing wrong or
should be doing that you do not even know about. Ask your teachers on how you
did in the quarter and what you can do to improve, from homework standards to
classroom etiquette.

5.
Make some goals!

Thanks to Skyward and Canvas, our grades are
always there to see. You may not have reached a grade level you wanted to, or
there may be a grade you want to achieve by the end of the year. A semester
grade consists of the two quarters plus the midterm exam, which means if you
know what your grade is this quarter, you can find out what grade you have to
get the next quarter and in the exam to achieve the grade you want. This end
grade will be a goal, and you can have certain goals leading up to it, like
studying every night or getting or completing all of the reviews, and getting
A's on the formative assignments.

In conclusion, don't waste time before the
quarter, or think there is nothing you can do. Make sure you do what you need
to do to have the best year ever!

During my time in middle
school, everything seemed easy. Now there were a couple exceptions like TAP, but
for the most part it was a breeze. I could go home do my homework in an hour
and then watch TV or do something else. I had a lot of free time on my hands.
At the beginning of the 9th grade year, I didn't think that 9th grade could be
much harder than 8th grade. You would not believe how wrong I was. Now, most of
the hard work came from my AP Human Geography class (which required at least 2
hours a night) and I was forced to learn how to manage my time well so I could
have time to do some of my extracurricular activities, and other homework. The
most efficient way to clear up time is to make use of your weekends. This may
seem hard at first because your weekends are your only time off from school,
but to manage an AP class with other activities you must utilize it. Utilizing
the weekend can reduce the workload. You must stay organized during your 9th
grade year or you will fall behind on your assignments. There are a few
different apps that I recommend to get organized as they have helped me in the
past. Using technology was a big help in knowing what is due and when.

iCalendar

Wunderlist

Todoist

Things

Outlook Calendar

Another big difference between school and high school is that
you go from the top of the food chain, to the bottom. In 8th grade you were the
"big man on campus", the apex predator, you had gotten pretty used to the
campus and the teachers knew you very well. In 9th grade you flip sides, you
become the "little man on campus" and are put into a totally different
environment. With all the different teachers and classes, high school can look
overwhelming. But know that by the end of the first semester, you will be used
to it. Another big fear most 9th graders have are the seniors. They are
expected to be big and bad, but they are actually friendlier than you think.
They will assist you in pretty much anything, whether it is directions or
advice for a certain class.

The final difference between 8th and 9th grade is the immense
pressure put on by college. When entering high school, you will have a moment
of realization that now everything matters. Each test, each project, each
choice that you make in high school will affect college. So in May, when you
are looking at your course selection actually look at what classes you choose
because those decisions can come back and haunt you. Make sure to pick classes
right for you, not too hard or too easy but just right. You must put all your
effort into each an every assignment because every grade matters and one grade
can affect your quarterly grade in a positive way or negative way.

Many people have the desire to succeed,
however sometimes it takes a lot of work to get
to the point that you want to be at academically.
My main tip to doing your absolute best is being on top of things. If a teacher were
to give you a test a week in advance the best thing you could
possibly do is study a bit every night until
the assessment approaches. Many students will wait
until last minute to study and will not
perform at their best. This could be applied to any project
given as well. As you get into
higher grades the work amount will only increase, so if you
started bad habits on procrastinating then it might be hard to
break out of it. However, you will for sure see benefits when you begin
to do your work in advance instead of cramming it the night before
it's due.

My second most important
tip is to use your class time. Many teachers let you
complete work in class, to prevent the amount of
homework you will have at home. Many students slack in
class and talk to their friends or not
pay attention, and that just will increase your stress levels in
the future. It is way easier to do the
work at school when you are supposed to than leave it to do
when you get home in the afternoon. Following
these two important tips, it is guaranteed that
you will see an improvement in your performance and
your stress level will begin to decrease.

As a student of Windermere Prep you are
expected to strive for perfection and attain excellence, but this doesn't mean
that you must be stressed all the time. With good time management you can be
less stressed, get more things done, and even have some free time for other
activities that you may enjoy. I used to always be stressed about getting good
grades and doing all of the homework that I was assigned. I had to learn how
to manage my time in order to get more things done and have free time do the
things that I loved. I had tried many time management tactics, such as writing
everything down in my planner, or even skipping some after school activities in
order to get the best grade possible. This ended up stressing me out even more,
I had to find a method that worked for me. I ended up using a time calendar. I
know it sounds weird, but I got a white board and marker and would write down
what I would be doing every half hour. This helped me to see exactly when I
should be working on a certain assignment, or studying for a specific test. I
now had seen where I had free time to spend with family and friends, and even
go to all of my after school activities. This has helped me manage my time, but
it might not help you. Find a system that works for you and stick with that
method. Make sure to keep up with the method you choose as well. As long as the
system works for you, it doesn't matter how weird it seems.